Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-10

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Dr. Joseph O'Dwyer. the inventor.
is graduate of the College OF Physi-
clans end Surgeons OF this citv. Al.
though he could easily have made
fortune by patenting his invention. h.
has not done so, but has freely given it
TO The world for the benefit OF suffering
humanity. He does not derive one
cent Of profit from it. Although not
enc year old it is used all over the
globe and physicians are unanimous in
landing it.
1rachcotomy was frequently objected
TO hy parents who preferred To take the
chances Of the child's dying to under
going such a bloody operation on re-
mote possibilities Il recovery. No
I such objection prevails against intubl-
/ ton. while the average OF recoyeries is
more than double that in tracheot)my.
/ BE latter is now used only as the last
iOOIt.
ERiL FSTATE NOVELTY.
One Of the significant signs OF the
times in the business world IL the bill
just signed 10y the Governor Of this
State providing for more scientific
/ method for the registration and index
ing Of land in this city. One OF the
/ great difficulties in real estate transac-
tons is the time and expense involved
III the transfer Of property, and at this
time, when the market for real estate
is 20 active-not merely here, but III
many other parts Of the country-any
GcsiIabe innovation Jon antique and
/ cumbersome methods Of transfer is
worthy Of notice. Usually the search
ing of title is made for fifty years
! lack to see if the transfers have been
properly made, but when large
amount of property IS involved
this takes considerable time and
often entails large expense with
great risk Of error. At present the
transfers are indexCd with the names Of
PARTIES to the transaction. ii is nOto-
ious that the most experienced lawyers
often make grave mistakes in the
searching Of titles. None know this
better than the real-cstate brokers, and
il is singular that the errors are not
more frequent in old communities
whore the rcgistration is about as cum
| LCrsCme as the Chinese language.
/ ImLdtrs are often made, moreover, by
clerks in transcrihing names ald in
/ designating localities. The name
MeaTs, for example, may be copied as
| Man. not TO mention other names
which in obscure chirography may
seem to be entirely different from
tie fact, and which careless
cluLs nay set down according to
the impression derived from hasty
Glance. Or Tie location may be de-
scribcd rs $50 feet cast instead Of west
q certain street or north or south, as
the case may he. These mistakes may
rot be discovered for years, and then
tie correction Of them often involves
considerable trouble and expense. Very
heavy fees are dcmaadcd by the best
lawyers for searching titles One firm
has an income Of 100000 year from
this work alone. and vet, as already
stated, some Of the best lawyers make
llurdcis. They may turn over two
RACES al once or fail to discover clcri-
cal nors. TIE search always takes
cou,idGnllct.me HE new law intro
duc,s the block system 10y which the
property on each city block is indeXed
IN a volume by itself, and all the trans
fds have especial relation to location
rather than TO names, fact which will
loatly facilitate the searching of titles.
J bus on Block No. 80, for example, Il
tIansfcr is made 10y John Thompson.
nv the old method all the Thompson
entries would Lave to be examined,
which, considering bow many persons
hear that name, would be long and
t,d;ous task, and the same would be
true e such names Us Smith, Jones,
lloWn, and others OF different nation
al,tics. 4 thorough lawyer, moreover,
would not content himself with the III
1ox. but would 90 through the entire
volume IN an old city like New York
/ Tie mIor involved III such search !,
laLorous and tedious in the extreme.
Rv the old system a search would take
st least two weeks, and sometimes
much longer. By the new block sys-
tom It can be- done il half an hour.
PRAcuCAL REVOLUTION
There is change in the conduct oil
real estate transactions which has come
unheralded, but which means a prdcti
cal revolution in this department Of
business in great cities. In small towns
and thinly-scttlcd sections search /:
usually comparatively easy, but 10 Al
old community like New York it IS like
pulling the Old Man OF the Sea from
the back Of Sinbad. Our old laws Will
reference to the transfer Of real cstat,
ale founded for the most part on those
Cf England where possession Was gen
orally supposed to he perpetual, bu
even in England in recent years at
tcmpts have been made to devise some
system Of transfer whereby real estate
might he made easily negotia
lie. In reference 70 the compli
Gated methods of English convey
ancing the Duke of Marlborough said
"In every country the theory OF th'
land laws has depended on the fact tia
and was never intended to be deal
with 10y free commerce and barter, anC
its sale and exchange have at all time
been surrounded 10y legal difficulties o
OeIy description. / viii ask any ma
If usircss where his trade would 20
20 if his business was hampercd al
.iudGod by this mode Of treatment
HE simple cure is t. sweep away 4
,nc blow the entire machinery O
deeds and substitute in matters O
,ale simple mode of registr'
ton Of parcels bought aud soil
Deeds were the invention O
LAWYERS. Registration is comple'
sui stitutc." This shows thatthe wor
moves, and that the ancient and bar
larous ideas respecting real estat
, which have so long obtained ar
destined to give way to more enlighten
ID opinions on subject of so mucl
Importance. Many man in financil
difficulties might save himself wer
real estate more readily negotiable. |
, may he explained, finally, that cit,
b block-indeX is nothing but county IN
dox reduced in size, and change from
the county to the block involves n
, change in the general law OF record
ing in the State Both the county an
the city block possesses the same essen
tial conditions of local index Il
, having Arrears which are permanent L
form. which are established by LAY
e and which are matters of public record